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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28062213">A Thoughtful Gift</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaoruhana/pseuds/kaoruhana'>kaoruhana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Story a Day Until Christmas Day [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:34:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>937</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28062213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaoruhana/pseuds/kaoruhana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kagome receives a thoughtful gift from one of the regulars at her coffee shop bookstore.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>A Story a Day Until Christmas Day [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2053077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Thoughtful Gift</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>A/N: I dislcaim any and all references to real life stores, places, and people in my story.  And anything else I forgot to disclaim.  Not beta'ed or proofread thoroughly. </p><p>Prompt: Someone receives a gift wrapped in newspaper and duct tape</p><p>Word Count: 937 (according to Word)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kagome sighed as she finished climbing the last of the shrine stairs, intent on making her way home after an extremely long day at work.  She’d honestly forgotten how busy people got around Christmas when it was time to buy presents.  Her feet were aching, her back and shoulders tense from stress, and she wanted nothing more than a hot shower or bath followed by sleep in her comfortable bed.  Especially since she'd spent the better part of a Saturday, one of her normal days off, working a full day's shift.  </p><p>Stretching her achy arms again as she crossed the courtyard, she nearly missed the package sitting near the foot of the Goshinboku. </p><p>She approached it with curiosity, and a bit of wariness, because no one ever left things at the foot of the old tree. </p><p>Upon closer inspection, Kagome recognized it as a package that was wrapped in newspaper and duct tape.  It was oddly misshapen, an awkward lump that was slightly rectangular in shape.  If you could call the lump that. </p><p>Hesitant, Kagome nudged the gift with a foot.  Nothing happened, so she nudged it again harder.  When nothing still happened, she stood there staring at it wondering whether she should pick it up to open it. </p><p>That was how her mother found her a few minutes later. </p><p>“Kagome?”  Her mother asked coming to her side while closing the ends of her cardigan around her to ward off the chill.  “What are you looking at?” </p><p>“This.”  Kagome pointed out the package when her mother came to stand next to her.  “Do you have any idea how this got there?” </p><p>Her mother pursed her lips in thought for a moment before she answered.  “Oh!  We had a visitor at the Shrine today.  He was the only one, and he spent some time by this tree.”  Her mother turned to look at her out of the corner of her eye.  “Oddly enough, he seemed to expect to see you here.” </p><p>“Me?”  Kagome asked shocked.  She tried to think of who the visitor was, and why they would visit her family’s shrine to find her.  “Why would someone come here to find me?” </p><p>Her mother quirked an eyebrow as if to ask her why someone wouldn’t come find her at her house.  Kagome ignored it though as she finally reached down to pick up the package.  She dusted imaginary dust, and perhaps a bit of smudge from her kicking earlier, when it was in her hands. </p><p>“Why don’t we go inside and open it?” Her mother asked already turning to lead the way.  “Then I can tell you all about the visitor.” </p><p>Kagome nodded absentmindedly as she followed her mother into the house. </p><p>Ten minutes later, Kagome and her mother sat at the kotatsu table with the package set between them and warm cups of tea clasped in their hands. </p><p>“You know,” Kagome’s mother started, “The man who stopped by earlier was quite nice.  He said he knew you from work.” </p><p>“From work?”  Kagome clarified brow furrowed.  “What did he look like?”  She hadn’t seen any colleagues from her coffee shop bookstore nip out for a trip all day.  They barely had time for lunch and bathroom breaks. </p><p>Kagome’s mother hummed thoughtfully.  “Let’s see: tall, broad-shouldered, long white hair, glasses.  He seemed the literary or professorial sort.” </p><p>Upon hearing her mother’s description, Kagome’s eyes widened.  Her fingers tightened around her cup as she tried to think of why Sesshomaru-sensei, one of the most popular novel writers in Japan would try to visit her at the shrine. </p><p>He did come by the store once a week to grab a cup of coffee and write.  Once, when she asked him about it, he admitted that being surrounded by books was a good environment for his muse.  And he did often indulge her in scholarly discussions on various topics when she took her breaks. </p><p>However, she hardly pegged him as a friend or anything more.  She just thought of him as one of her more famous customers.  Well, a part of her did wish he would see her as more than that girl who worked at the bookstore, but she hadn’t dare dreamed or hoped he would acknowledge her as more than that. </p><p>Extremely curious now, her hands reached towards the package.  She debated on the best way to open it for a few minutes until her mother suggested ripping the newspaper open.  So, Kagome did so, inch by careful inch until she got enough of the package open to reveal what was inside. </p><p>A pair of extremely comfortable looking sneakers sat in front of her a note laying on top of them.  She opened the note to read what was inside. </p><p>Higurashi-san,</p><p>I noticed that you’re more often that not on your feet all day.  I’ve often heard your complaints about it as well.  But I’ve also seen how you wouldn’t have it any other way. </p><p>In light of the fact that I’d like to see my favorite conversation partner able to continue her work comfortably when not speaking with me, I’ve given these to you as a gift.  I’ve been told that they are specifically made for those whose jobs keep them on their feet all day. </p><p>Hopefully, these help you somewhat and bring you comfort on some of those longer days. </p><p>Mori Sesshomaru  </p><p> </p><p>Touched by the fact that he even thought of her, Kagome found herself smiling.  Maybe, the next time Sesshomaru-sensei stopped by the store, she’d give him a drink or two on the house. </p><p>It was the least she could do for such a thoughtful gift</p>
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